This invention relates to a quick release mechanism for pivotally joined tube members and more particularly for use on foldable legs attached to supporting structures for outdoor signs or barriers.
There are a number of occasions when it is desired to releasably attach a tube or the like to a structure. For example, a number of tubular legs are required for the mounting base for outdoor signs and barriers which provide information and limitations. This is particularly so along vehicle roadways and pedestrian pathways where there is a need to inform the public of some road construction or limitation. Frequently, the need is temporary and thus it is very advantageous to have mounting bases for such signs and barriers which may be readily assembled and disassembled with very little effort on the part of the worker.
Some mounting bases have multiple leg flanges or the like, usually four, extending from the lower frames and an equal number of foldable and extendable legs pivotally mounted thereto. The legs, when locked to the flanges in a horizontal position, support the sign in the work area. In order to obtain a compact structure which takes up less room when the mounting base is not in use, the pivotally mounted legs are quite often folded upwards and temporarily attached in a vertical position to the flanges.
Heretofore, such attachments have been accomplished by removable pins, bolts, clips or by being manually tied-upright.
A frequently used attachment has been a pin assembly. The pin is attached to a coil spring within the tube leg. This requires drilling holes in the pin, inserting small needles therein and attaching the coil spring thereto. To lock the leg to the flange, an opening in the leg is aligned with openings in the flange and the pin is forced inwardly through the openings into the engaged position. The pin is unlocked by pulling it out of the opening.
However, the constructions most frequently used have not been satisfactory. They are often awkward and time consuming operations. They require a great deal of effort on the part of the worker. In many cases to release the pin from the locked position, the worker must remove his gloves and use both hands in order to unlock the system. In most cases the worker has to bend over to perform the unlocking. There are also complicated coil spring-pin attachments that are difficult to manufacture and to operate.
There is a need for a simple quick release mechanism which securely locks and readily unlocks tubular members with very little effort on the part of the worker.